We made arrangements with RCI Travel for a weekend in Paros. The taxi driver met us off the ferry boat and wisked us away. We arrived 20 minutes later on the other end of the island in the tiny village of Drios. We stayed the weekend at the Sea View Hotel and Bungalows. See my review in Beaching on the Cyclades for more about our hotel experience.
For a taste of rural Greece in an out of the way place you must stay for a day or two. The town has many small hotels to choose from. We relied on RCI and was not disappointed. The hotels are a very short walk to the center of town. There is a supermarket and souvenir shop. There are a couple of paths that take you to the beach at Drios. When you reach the water you must descend down a set of stairs to reach the beach. The beach is not too large. It is rocky, so bring your beach shoes. The water is cool and clear. Little if any waves. There is a sharp drop off in the depth after a few feet. Little kids should wear inflatable arm cushions.
The town is easily accessible by bus. It is the last stop on the number 5 bus route to Noussa. The bus also stops at Gold Beach. We did not stop there but with the number of people that got on the bus, that was the most popular beach in Greece. You do need a car to reach Gold Beach from Drios, however.
When we were there in July, we were treated to a taste of Cycladic culture. There was an evening performance by the local school children of their native dances. They performance was at the local school. The children were dressed in the native Parikian costumes. There was a trio of musicians playing a guitar, bouzouki and louto. A crowd of about two hundred gatered to see the performance. This was another example how the people of the town made this an enjoyable stay.